Enbridge told more cleanup needed in Kalamazoo River oil spill

1:21 PM, October 3, 2012

Workers from Enbridge skim oil off the surface of the Kalamazoo River after a pipeline ruptured in Marshall on July 27, 2010. The Environmental Protection Agency told Enbridge on Oct. 3, 2012, that more cleanup needs to be done. / ANDRE J. JACKSON/Detroit Free Press

Detroit Free Press Washington Staff

WASHINGTON – Federal regulators told a Canadian pipeline company Wednesday that additional work is needed to clean up oil spilled in a huge Michigan pipeline break two years ago.

Regulators for the Environmental Protection Agency notified Enbridge Energy Partners on Wednesday that further cleanup from the July 2010 spill near Marshall is needed upstream of Ceresco Dam and Battle Creek Dam and in the delta upstream of Morrow Lake on the Kalamazoo River.

Enbridge’s Line 6B spill sent oil rushing into Talmadge Creek, a tributary of the Kalamazoo River, and hundreds of thousands of dollars have been spent on cleanup efforts since. The EPA says about 1.1 million gallons of oil have been collected from Kalamazoo River, while Enbridge estimated that more than 843,000 gallons of oil were discharged in the spill.

In a letter to Enbridge, regulators said a sheen in the water at the three areas along the Kalamazoo River are the “result of submerged oil accumulations” and warrant further cleanup.

“The repeated manifestation of sheen and globules in these specific areas confirms that the submerged oil is not stable and is capable of migrating further downstream if not contained and recovered,” the letter said.

Enbridge did not immediately respond to a request for comment from the Free Press but in the letter, EPA noted correspondence from the company in August “where you stated that no additional oil recovery upstream of the Ceresco Dam is currently necessary.” EPA said Enbridge has 10 days to request a conference to discuss the additional work specified in the proposed order and 30 days to submit written comments.

The agency said its prior orders directing Enbridge to complete other cleanup and restoration work in the Kalamazoo River system remain in effect.

Last month, the federal Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) said Enbridge had paid the $3.7-million penalty levied against it for violations related to the spill.